INCA Education around the world

Australia : Context and principles of education


Last updated: 05-Oct-2005
1.2 Purposes of education
1.2.1 Aims, objectives, values, principles

1.2.2 Special programmes National Literacy and Numeracy Plan

1.2 Purposes of education

1.2.1 Aims, objectives, values, principles

National

Principles and general objectives

Since the early 1990s there has been an increased concern regarding the links between employment and education. Government policies at all levels have been concerned to meet the changing employment needs and the requirement for a 'productive work-force'.31  Education legislation and practice in Australia are essentially based on the principle of equality of access at all levels. The Federal Government, in cooperation with the State and Territory Governments, has played an increasing role in promoting equity and an education that reflects the Government's social justice commitments. Some value perspectives within schooling, including the curriculum, are supported by legislation. In particular, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, 5   the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, 4  the Affirmative Action Act 1986 2 and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act 1986 21 protect the rights of all Australians against unfair treatment on the basis of sex, race, marital status, pregnancy and family and carer responsibilities. Recent amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act extend the sexual harassment provisions to make unlawful sexual harassment of students and staff by adult students in educational institutions. Provision already existed under the Act against sexual harassment by staff. 31

1989 - Common and agreed national goals for schooling in Australia

Education ministers from the States and Territories and from the national (Commonwealth) Government, under the auspices of the Australian Education Council (AEC), published a set of "Common and Agreed (National) Goals for Schooling in Australia" in 1989. Commonly known as 'the Hobart Declaration', these goals provided a structure for cooperation between schools, States, Territories and the Commonwealth, named eight Key Learning Areas (the arts; English; health and physical education (HPE); languages other than English (LOTE); mathematics; science; studies of society and environment (SOSE); and technology) and described ten national goals for schooling, as follows:

  1.  To provide an excellent education for all young people, being one which develops their talents and capacities to full potential, and is relevant to the social, cultural and economic needs of the nation.
  2. To enable all students to achieve high standards of learning and to develop self-confidence, optimism, high self-esteem, respect for others, and achievement of personal excellence.
  3. To promote equality of educational opportunities, and to provide for groups with special learning requirements.
  4. To respond to the current and emerging economic and social needs of the nation, and to provide those skills which will allow students maximum flexibility and adaptability in their future employment and other aspects of life.
  5. To provide a foundation for further education and training, in terms of knowledge and skills, respect for learning and positive attitudes for life-long education.
  6. To develop in students:
    • the skills of English literacy, including skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing;
    • skills of numeracy, and other mathematical skills;
    • skills of analysis and problem solving;
    • skills of information processing and computing;
    • an understanding of the role of science and technology in society, together with scientific and technological skills;
    • a knowledge and appreciation of Australia's historical and geographic context;
    • a knowledge of languages other than English (LOTE);
    • an appreciating and understanding of, and confidence to participate in, the creative arts;
    • an understanding of, and concern for, balanced development and the global environment; and
    • a capacity to exercise judgement in matters of morality, ethics and social justice.
  7. To develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which will enable students to participate as active and informed citizens in a democratic Australian society within an international context.
  8. To provide students with an understanding and respect for Australia's cultural heritage, including the particular cultural background of Aboriginal and ethnic groups.
  9. To provide for the physical development and personal health and fitness of students, and for the creative use of leisure time.
  10. To provide appropriate career education and knowledge of the world of work, including an understanding of the nature and place of work in society.14, 44.

1999 - National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century

Australia's Schools Ministers met again in 1998 to revise the National Goals for Schooling. Ministers agreed that it was timely to review the 1989 goals to take account of the significant social, economic and technological changes which have occurred over the last decade, as well as preparing for new challenges which will face schools in the future. 27 As a result, new National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century (commonly known as the Adelaide Declaration, 1999) were endorsed in April 1999 by the State, Territory and Commonwealth Ministers for Education meeting as the Tenth Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) (now the MCETYA). At this meeting, in Adelaide, Education Ministers also affirmed their commitment to national reporting on comparable educational outcomes and agreed that the new National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century provided the appropriate framework for such reporting. 16 As part of this commitment, Ministers agreed to the following six areas of schooling for initial outcomes reporting:

  • literacy;
  • numeracy;
  • student participation, retention and completion;
  • vocational education and training in schools;
  • science; and
  • information technology,
    and noted the need to develop performance indicators for:
  • civics and citizenship education; and
  • enterprise education. 16

A new taskforce, the MCETYA National Education Performance Monitoring Taskforce has been established to progress the work of the former MCETYA National Goals Taskforce on the national reporting of educational outcomes. Ministers have agreed that the National Education Performance Monitoring Taskforce should:

  • Oversee and coordinate the work of any other groups concerned with the reporting of national comparable outcomes of schooling.
  • Develop key performance measures as the basis for national reporting in the agreed areas.
    Identify areas where it may be appropriate to establish national targets or benchmarks in relation to the agreed key performance measures, which assist State- and school-level planning and reporting for improvement.
  • Identify and recommend to MCETYA any additional agreed areas for the national reporting of comparable educational outcomes. 16
    The new national goals can be summarised as follows:

1. Schooling should develop fully the talents and capacities of all students.

In particular, when students leave school they should:

  • be proficient at problem-solving, communicating, planning, organising and collaborating with others;
  • be self-confident, able to exercise judgement in matters of morality, ethics and social justice, able to make rational and informed decisions and take responsibility for their own actions;
  • be active and informed citizens with an understanding of Australia's system of government and civic life;
  • have employment related skills, an understanding of the work environment and career options, and positive attitudes towards vocational education and training, further education, employment and lifelong learning;
  • be confident in the use of new technology;
  • have an understanding of the natural environment and sustainable development; and
    possess the knowledge and skills to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 16

2. In terms of the curriculum, students should, when leaving school:

  • have attained high standards of knowledge, skills and understanding in the eight Key Learning Areas; be literate and numerate;
  • have had access to vocational education and training as part of their senior secondary studies; and have participated in activities to foster their enterprise skills (to allow maximum flexibility and adaptability in the future).16

3. Schooling should be socially just, so that:

  • students are free from discrimination based on sex, language, culture and ethnicity, religion or disability;
  • the learning outcomes of educationally disadvantaged students improve;
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (members of the indigenous population) have equal access to and opportunities in schooling;
  • all students understand and acknowledge the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures to Australian society;
  • all students understand the value of cultural and linguistic diversity; and
  • all students have access to education to enable the completion of school education or its vocational equivalent to Year 12 (age 18).16

The full text of the 'Adelaide Declaration' can be accessed via the following Internet addresses: http://www.detya.gov.au/schools/adelaide/index.htm

National benchmarks for literacy and numeracy

Details of nationally agreed benchmarks for literacy and numeracy in Years 3, 5 and 7 in Australian schools (students aged 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13 respectively) are provided in section 6.2.1. Queensland
In 2000, the Queensland Government published

Queensland

In 2000, the Queensland Government published Queensland State Education - 2010 (see http://education.qld.gov.au/corporate/qse2010/ ), which outlines the vision for state education in Queensland to 2010. The strategy highlights retention as a key priority for the State's education system and a target was then set to raise the number of students completing Year 12 (ages 17-18) to 88 per cent by 2010.228 Subsequently, in 2003, the Queensland Government passed legislation requiring young people to be 'learning or earning' until the age of 17.227 From 2006, the Youth Participation in Education and Training Act 2003.229 will make it compulsory for young people to remain at school until they finish Year 10 (ages 15-16) or reach their 16th birthday, whichever comes first. Unless they are in full-time work, young people who have finished Year 10 or reached the age of 16 will then be required to participate in education and training for:

  •  a further two years, or
  • until they have gained a Senior Certificate (see 6.4.4.), or
  • until they have gained a Certificate 3 vocational qualification, or
  • until they have turned 17.

Further, more detailed information regarding the Act is available from the Queensland Government website: http://education.qld.gov.au/etrf/legis.html

 In addition, in early 2002, the Queensland Government published its Green Paper 'Queensland the Smart State: Education and Training Reforms for the Future', which stated that:

 "Queensland's most precious resource is its children. When we nurture our children, we nurture our future." The Green Paper expresses the Government's vision of transforming the State into the 'Smart State' of Australia - a State of prosperity and social justice with a commitment to equality of opportunity.

"At the very heart of this vision is education - the very best education possible for every Queensland child, so that they reach their full potential and help build the Smart State...... Our vision is to build an exceptional State education and training system. A system that not only builds minds, but also the character of every student."

 The Green Paper covers three key areas:

  • getting ready for school;
  • information and communication technologies for school and work; and
  • getting ready for work or further study (includes proposals to make senior schooling fit in better with vocational education, training and work).

Tasmania

The policy statement Learning Together presents 'a vision for Tasmanian education, training and information into the 21st century'. It is a long-term plan to transform Tasmania's education system by providing lifelong learning across childcare, primary schooling, secondary schooling, college education, vocational education and training, technical and further education, adult education, and library and information services. It presents a vision for a world-class education, training and information system based on valuing people, achievement, flexibility and innovation, organisation and planning. The vision is supported by five goals:

  • Goal 1: responsive and continually improving services that ensure all Tasmanians develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need.
  • Goal 2: enriching and fulfilling learning opportunities that enable people to work effectively and participate in society.
  • Goal 3: safe and inclusive learning environments that encourage and support participation in learning throughout all of life.
  • Goal 4: an information-rich community with access to global and local resources so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in, and contribute to, a healthy democracy and a prosperous society.
  • Goal 5: a valued and supported education workforce that reflects the importance of teaching as a profession and is held in high esteem by the community.

The Learning Together website is accessible at http://www.education.tas.gov.au/learningtogether/

Victoria

The Department of Education and Training Corporate Plan for 2003-2006 has as its vision: "an assured future for all Victorians and a prosperous society through learning." The Department's mission is to "ensure the provision of high-quality education and training that:

  • raises achievement
  • reduces disparity and
  • leads to opportunities."

The full Corporate Plan is available online at http://www.det.vic.gov.au/det/about/corpplan/default.htm.

1.2.2 Special programmes

National

Previous national targets anticipated that, by the year 2001, 95 per cent of 19-year-olds would have completed either Year 12 of schooling (aged around 18), or an initial post-school qualification, or be participating in formally recognised education and training. 86

National Literacy and Numeracy Plan

In its pre-election promises, the Commonwealth Liberal Government, re-elected in October 1998, and again in November 2001 (as part of a Liberal/National Party coalition), highlighted literacy and numeracy as one of the key areas for additional funding. Before and since that time, measures have been being implemented to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of students, currently regarded by the Commonwealth Government as its highest priority in relation to school education. 46 In March 1997, Commonwealth, State and Territory Education Ministers agreed to a national literacy and numeracy goal: that every child leaving primary school should be numerate, and be able to read, write and spell at an appropriate level. 8  The Ministers also adopted a sub goal:  that every child commencing school from 1998 would achieve a minimum acceptable literacy and numeracy standard within four years. 8  Ministers agreed that the goals would be achieved through a National Plan focused on the crucial early years of school. The National Literacy and Numeracy Plan includes:  

  • comprehensive teacher assessment of all students as early as possible in the first years of schooling, to identify those students at risk of not making adequate progress towards the national literacy and numeracy goals (although as yet, no national system of school entry - baseline - assessment has been implemented);
  • intervening as early as possible to address the needs of students identified as at risk;
  • the development of national benchmarks in literacy and numeracy for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9/10 (students aged 8-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14-16 respectively), against which all children's achievement in these years can be measured;
  • the measurement of students' progress against these benchmarks using rigorous state-based assessment procedures;
  • progress towards national reporting by systems on students' achievement against the benchmarks; and
  • teacher professional development to support the achievement of the national literacy and numeracy goals. 8

The National Plan reflects the commitment of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Education Ministers to literacy and numeracy as essential for all learning. The Plan also makes it extremely clear that it is crucial for children to develop these foundation skills at the earliest possible time in the school years. 8

Civics and citizenship education

The Commonwealth Government has also committed funding towards preparing every school in the country to teach civics and citizenship education to students from the mid-primary to upper secondary years. This followed a 1997 agreement by the State, Territory and Commonwealth Education Ministers that, from 1999, students should undertake civics and citizenship education. 37 See 'Discovering Democracy' in 5.2.2 and 5.3.2.

National Drug Strategy

There is a National Drug Strategy in Australia. This has been operating (with its forerunner, the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse) since 1985. The Strategy enjoys strong bipartisan political support and involves a cooperative venture between the Commonwealth and State/Territory governments as well as the non-government sector. The common aim from the outset was "to minimise the harmful effects of drug use in Australian society". See the National Drug Strategy website at http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au.  Some individual States/Territories have developed their own drugs strategies in line with the National Drug Strategy. See http://education.qld.gov.au/health-safety/promotion/drug-education/html/reachingout.html for Queensland's school drug education strategy.

Promotion of science

In 2004, following a decline in the number of secondary and higher education students choosing to study science, the Government introduced a series of measures to promote the subject. These include amongst others, the development of new teaching materials for science teachers and summer schools to offer science teachers intensive specialist training to assist them with strategies for lessons.232

Other national/Commonwealth plans and programmes

In addition, States and Territories have collaborated with the Commonwealth Government to endorse a number of national policies which have implications for the role of schools in relation to humanistic, ethical, cultural and international dimensions of education. These include:

  • The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP). This provides an agreed legislative framework for using government funds to assist education providers in achieving policy objectives. One element, the National Reconciliation and Schooling Strategy, commits States and Territories to developing appropriate and consistent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander curriculum studies for all school students. Particular priorities for 1994 to 1997 were: promoting access and equity in education and training; improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and giving young people a better start. The AEP had 21 agreed national goals to achieve equity by 2001.31, 44
  • The National Policy on Languages in Australian Society. All Australians should develop and maintain effective literacy in English to enable them to participate in Australian society. The learning of languages other than English (LOTE) must be substantially expanded and improved. Those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages which are still used should be maintained and developed and those that are not should be recorded where appropriate. 31
  • The national/Commonwealth Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme, which helps the families of students under the age of 16 years who are unable to attend an appropriate government school on a daily basis because of geographic isolation.  Depending on the circumstances, the scheme may provide boarding allowances, second home allowances or distance education allowances.  Such allowances are not means tested.  The AIC scheme is one of a number of Commonwealth programmes which aim to improve the education opportunities of students from rural and remote areas.165 (http://www.detya.gov.au/schools/guidelines/aic/2002/index.htm)
  • The National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) (1992). This is a strategic and policy framework for ensuring that Australia's development improves the total quality of life both now and in the future. ESD principles are incorporated in the development of curricula. 31
  • The National Agenda for Multicultural Australia. This encourages immigrants to preserve their original culture while also becoming familiar with the English language. It also encourages Australians to value diversity and difference. It is incorporated into the curriculum frameworks e.g. Studies of Society and Environment aims to develop students' understanding of Australia's linguistic diversity, past and present, and to counter racism and discrimination. 31
  • The Quality Schooling Programme (QSP). This operates through national projects in the areas of educational leadership, school organisation reform (particularly following devolution), student welfare (particularly in early years), teacher professionalism and parental involvement, including the National Schools Network on school organisation reform and related issues, the Australian Principals Association Professional Development Council (APAPDC) and key parent organisations. 31 
  • The National Equity Programme for Schools (NEPS). This programme targets students who are educationally disadvantaged because of poverty, disability, geographic location, socio-economic circumstances or a non-English-speaking and/or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. 31 See section 1.2.2 of the supplement to this Archive "Australia: special educational provision" in addition.  (Simply click on the 'special' button at the top of this page.)
  • The National Asian Languages and Studies in Australian Schools Strategy (NALSAS). This was set up in response to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Working Group report Asian Languages and Australia's Economic Future, and endorsed in Hobart in February 1994. The strategy aims to support enhanced and expanded delivery of Asian (especially Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian and Korean) languages and studies through all school systems, with a view to improving Australia's capacity to interact internationally, in particular with key Asian economies. Its targets for 2006 are to have 25 per cent of Year 12 students (aged 17-18) studying a language other than English, (15 per cent would be studying a targeted Asian language); and 60 per cent of Year 10 students studying a targeted Asian language. 44
  • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Endorsed in 1994, the AQF links the senior secondary (post-compulsory, upper secondary) school certificate qualifications with four levels of vocational education certificates, the diploma and advanced diploma, graduate certificates and graduate diplomas, and bachelor, masters and doctoral degree qualifications, in a comprehensive (national) range of education and training pathways. Implemented in January 1995, the AQF is facilitated and monitored by the AQF Advisory Board. 44

Queensland

Early years education

Many State/government-funded schools in Queensland offer up to two years of part-time early years education to children prior to the commencement of compulsory education at age 6.  Most schools do not, however, offer a full year of full-time education for children prior to Year 1.  Indeed, Queensland is currently the only State in Australia in which all government-funded schools do not offer a full-time year (that is, a full five days each week) of education before Year 1. In 2003, as outlined in the Green Paper for education and training (for further information, see 1.2.1), a trial began to pilot provision of a year of full-time pre-Year 1 education in publicly-funded schools in the State. Some non-state schools (Catholic and independent schools) also took part in the trials. 179  In December 2004, following completion of the second year of the trial, the Queensland Government announced that a year of full-time pre-year 1 education would be available to all children throughout the State from 2007. This development and the raising of the school starting age by six months from 2008 are considered to be the most exciting changes in early education in Queensland for fifty years. 235 Further information is available online at: http://www.education.qld.gov.au/prep In addition, Education Queensland and the Department of Families have recently collaborated to produce draft guidelines for a family friendly policy which aims to make better use of school facilities and reduce the stress associated with travel for parents. The new policy will allow private and community based providers to co-locate services such as long day care centres and kindergartens on Education Queensland school sites.165

Science education

As part of the Smart State initiative (the Government's Green Paper and strategic vision for education to 2010, see 1.2.1 above), the State Government in Queensland has recently launched the Science State - Smart State Initiative. This has three main objectives:

  •  to enhance the teaching and learning of science in school and universities, and ensure the relevance of the curriculum to meet the future knowledge and skills of the State;
  • to increase the numbers of students choosing science and technology careers, in particular, by focusing the resources of schools, government departments, universities and the industry sector to help meet future workforce needs; and
  • to generate an awareness and acceptance in the community of the importance of science education, scientific literacy and the value of science and science teaching careers to contribute to an improvement in the quality of life for all citizens. 159

ICTs for Learning Strategy

The Smart State initiative also includes an ICTs for Learning Strategy, one of the benchmarks of which is that there shoud be one computer to every five students by the end of 2004. Full details of the Queensland ICTs for Learning Strategy can be accessed via its website at http://education.qld.gov.au/ictsforlearning

Tasmania

Information technology

Great emphasis has recently been placed on information technology in Tasmania. The State's relative isolation from the rest of the country (an hour's flight across the Bass Strait or a 14-hour sea crossing) provided part of the reason for this. A funding programme was put into place with the aim of providing every teacher with a laptop, and every five students with one computer. The objective was to install the computers in classrooms (as opposed to specific computer laboratories), so that they could be used in all areas of the curriculum. The machines were also connected to the Internet. The stated policy aim of the programme was to 'make Tasmania a demonstration site of how advanced telecommunications can transform a regional economy' and to 'create a testing ground or a living laboratory for new technologies and the uses to which they can be put'. 41

Literacy and numeracy

Specific literacy and numeracy programmes for Tasmanian State schools and colleges have been implemented because literacy and numeracy are regarded as being 'of fundamental importance in the development of later learning strategies'. 71 During 1998 and 1999, a comprehensive literacy and numeracy plan was provided that detailed all programmes designed to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes. Comprehensive trialling of two new programmes - the Spalding Program (a structured literacy programme in spelling, reading and writing) and the Programme of Additional Support and Structure (PASS) - were undertaken. A major numeracy project, Planning and Teaching for Numeracy in Years 7 to 9 also commenced. This aimed to improve the numeracy outcomes of secondary students. 56

Health education

In all education districts in Tasmania, health and physical education was a priority school curriculum area for the period 1998 to 2001. The aim of this three-year programme was 'to unite under one banner all school-based programmes having an impact on health education, and to emphasise a whole-school approach to staff and student health issues'. The impetus for the project resulted from present-day schools being expected not only to provide a physical fitness programme, but also to tackle such topics as sun protection, drugs education including the effects of alcohol and tobacco, HIV/AIDS education, healthy living, nutrition, stress control, recreation etc.24, 25

Early childhood strategy

An early childhood strategy for Tasmania, encompassing policies, plans and projects for children in the early childhood years, has been produced by the Department of Education. This is available at http://connections.education.tas.gov.au/Nav/Strategy.asp?ID=00000005

Post-compulsory learning strategy

At the end of 2003, the Department of Education launched its first strategy for post-Year 10 education (students aged 15 to 18). The strategy aims to:

  • improve participation in education and training beyond compulsory schooling
  • enable second chance learning opportunities
  • build a skilled workforce with the capacity to support business and industry in a growing economy and
    create communities that value lifelong learning.

The strategy is based on four main pillars: guaranteeing futures, ensuring essential literacies, enhancing adult learning and building learning communities. Each pillar has its own set of initiatives and actions, which includes reviewing the Year 11 and Year 12 curricula, supporting family literacy, funding workforce development and promoting lifelong learning. Further information is available from the Department of Education website: http://www.education.tas.gov.au/stateoflearning/Default.htm

Victoria

Literacy and numeracy target

The Victorian Government has set the target that, by 2005, Victoria will be at or above national benchmark levels for reading, writing and numeracy as they apply to primary students (see National Literacy and Numeracy Plan above). Linked to this initiative, 100 specialist literacy teachers have been appointed to target those students at risk of falling below the benchmarks (see below) [http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/edtimes/] 153

Literacy programme for students entering secondary level education

Under the 'Restart' initiative, which is aimed at improving the literacy levels of students in Year 7 of compulsory education in Queensland (the first year of secondary level education), specialist literacy teachers are being provided to some Queensland secondary schools to target students experiencing literacy problems. 164

Class size target

The Victorian Government has also set a target of reducing average class sizes in the pre-compulsory Preparatory Year (children aged 5-6) and in Years 1 and 2 of compulsory education, aged 6-8, to 21 or less by 2003.  It is of the opinion that such lower class sizes will be a key to achieving the literacy and numeracy target mentioned above [http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/edtimes/]. 154

Early years strategy

There is an early years literacy programme for children in Preparatory classes to Year 4 of primary education (aged 5-10 years). Extra funding is provided to schools to assist in appointing early years coordinators and to provide one-to-one reading intervention programmes. Teacher and parent guides are also provided.  A similar programme for reading recovery and one for numeracy learning are also in existence for the same age range. The latter advocates a daily focused one hour numeracy session for children in this age range. The programmes combine to form an early years strategy which is closely linked to the class size reduction programme mentioned above.The early years strategy website is available at http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/eys

Science in Schools programme

In addition, Victoria is currently running a significant Science in Schools initiative which seeks to involve students in more practical hands-on science than has traditionally been the case in the curriculum. This is with a view to broadening students' experience of science and influencing the study options they may choose to select at post-compulsory level. Further information on the Science in Schools programme can be accessed at http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/sofweb/science/sampleprogram/

Middle years strategy

The Government has also established the Middle Years Reform Programme to improve student learning outcomes. Additional funding is provided to participating schools to improve student outcomes in literacy, attendance and retention for students in Years 7-9 (aged 12-15 years). Government targets central to the programme are that:

  • by 2005 - Victoria will be at or above national benchmark levels for reading, writing and numeracy as they apply to primary students
  • by 2010 - 90 per cent of young people in Victoria will complete Year 12 (aged 17-18) or its equivalent
  • by 2005 - the number of young people aged 15-19 in rural Victoria engaged in education and training will increase by six per cent.


The Restart programme (see above) is part of the middle years strategy. Further information on the middle years strategy is available at http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/mys.  

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